[Intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of malignant epilepsy in children]. / Intravenöses Immunoglobulin bei der Behandlung von malignen Epilepsien bei Kindern.

15 children with malignant epilepsy showing no response to conventional antiepileptic drugs or hormone therapy were administered intravenous immunoglobulin (Endobulin, Immuno) at a dosage of 400 mg/kg per day on the 1st and 15th day and subsequently every three weeks for 6 months. 7 of these 15 patients showed IgG2 subclass deficiency. A significant reduction in attacks, or even absence of attacks was observed in 10 out of 15 children after six months of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Apart from one patient with ringchromosomopathy, all the children with IgG2 subclass deficiency responded to this therapy. The reduction of attacks after i.v. immunoglobulin therapy correlates with the improvement or normalization of the EEG findings. At present, the authors consider the number of patients still too small to make a final assessment, but they believe that intravenous immunoglobulin holds an important position in the treatment of malignant epilepsy in childhood.

[3 case reports of patients with malignant epilepsy treated with high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin]. / Prikaz tri bolesnika sa malignim epilepsijama lecenih visokim dozama intravenskog imunoglobulina.

Three patients with malignant epilepsia were presented. They were treated by i.v. immunoglobulin in the dose of 400 mgr/kg/bw at O, 15-day and 3-week intervals. Duration of treatment lasted 5 weeks in one child and 6 months in two children. One child had normal values of IgG2 subclass while two children showed the deficiency of this subclass. In all three children i.v. immunoglobulin therapy led to a remarkable improvement in respect both to the reduction of attacks and EEG. Due to the aggravation observed 6 months after the last dose of i.v. immunoglobulin, the therapy was repeated and led to the improvement in two children. It was pointed out in conclusion that i.v. immunoglobulin had its place in the treatment of malignant epilepsia in children.